South Charlotte Weeklyhttp://thecharlotteweekly.com
About the community, for the communityThu, 24 May 2018 19:26:30 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.6104049933Rise in teen veganism means making better food choiceshttp://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2017/03/rise-in-teen-veganism-means-making-better-food-choices/
http://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2017/03/rise-in-teen-veganism-means-making-better-food-choices/#respondFri, 03 Mar 2017 15:34:13 +0000http://thecharlotteweekly.com/?p=22974When south Charlotte mom Elise Allistic’s daughter became vegan, she didn’t think her daughter would eventually become anemic and have more health problems.

She realized her daughter wasn’t going about the diet in the right way.

A recent poll by independent research firm Harris Interactive reveals the number of vegetarian youth in the U.S. has increased 70 percent in the last few years and vegan products becoming more accessible in the last decade. Experts are warning new vegans – particularly teens, who grew up in a world of convenience food – they need to become more cognizant of their food selections.

Jennifer Logan, a dietician with Novant Health, said she works with clients one-on-one for their dietary needs or preferences. With vegans, she starts by asking why they want to pursue that lifestyle. A teen she met with last week said she wanted to be vegan because she heard Beyoncé follows that diet, while others are fueled by animal welfare and environmental impact causes.

The number of teens becoming vegan has increased by 70 percent in the last few years. File photo

“Veganism is becoming more of a fad in some aspects,” Logan said, adding veganism has an increased presence on social media.

The “Vegetarianism in America” study published by Vegetarian Times stated 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 0.5 percent, or 1 million, of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all.

Teens often have a pattern of eating more processed food, she added, which have a lot of added sodium, preservatives, flavor additives and added sugars.

“The challenge is being more savvy about what foods you choose, such as beans, nuts and whole grains,” Logan said. “To be healthy and choose the highest quality takes more meal preparation.”

Teenagers are often on the go and will choose more convenience options, such as fast food, which often have unhealthy nutrients like excess salt or sugar.

Vegan diets require individuals to be more conscious of their food they choose, as they must augment some nutrients they would get in meat with other products or supplement.

“In some instances, I’d rather have a teen eat what mom’s cooking rather than frozen soy chicken nuggets,” Logan said. “I don’t think they realize that a veggie burger is considered a processed food or chicken nuggets are a processed food.”

She recommends anyone interested in becoming vegan meet with a dietician. It’s possible to be healthy following a vegan diet, but when you eliminate a whole food group, it’s important to note ways to ensure nutrient needs are met.

For example, B12 doesn’t naturally come from plants, so individuals have to find it elsewhere through supplements, nutritional yeast or fortified foods, such as breads and cereal.

If a person develops a B12 deficiency, they could become tired, develop nerve damage or a type of anemia, depression or have unhealthy weight loss.

Courtney Huddle, a dietician with Carolinas HealthCare System and vegetarian, explained vegetarians have to eat more food to ensure they receive enough nutrients.

“You don’t have to eat a large quantity of animal meat to get enough protein,” Huddle said. “Vegans will have to eat a whole lot more of (products with protein) to receive enough.”

She suggests vegans look to find nutrients in multiple foods rather than just one food.

“Becoming vegan doesn’t mean you’re starving yourself,” Huddle said. “You have to get the same amount of calories – just in a different way.”

She feels parents need to be involved in learning about vegan options. She said many meals could be made vegan or vegetarian.

“There are alternatives where you don’t have to feel like you have to serve lettuce,” Huddle said.

Alea Tuttle, an environmental scientist with Wildlands Engineering, chose a vegan lifestyle because she didn’t appreciate the environmental impacts of the food industry.

When Tuttle was in high school, she formed a club of likeminded students who also had a vegetarian diet. She felt the transition into a vegetarian diet was much easier when she had a support network.

Tuttle said the most critical part about pursuing veganism is to find a support network.

“In my experience, every time I’ve been successful pursing the vegan diet, I’ve had a support network of people,” she said.

Huddle said many Charlotte-area support groups could be found with a simple Google search or on Reddit or MeetUp.

]]>http://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2017/03/rise-in-teen-veganism-means-making-better-food-choices/feed/022974Chocolatiers take a trip to Italyhttp://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2016/12/chocolatiers-take-a-trip-to-italy/
http://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2016/12/chocolatiers-take-a-trip-to-italy/#respondFri, 02 Dec 2016 20:35:15 +0000http://thecharlotteweekly.com/?p=21577Susan Nido, of Nada’s Italy Tours, had always had a great relationship with The Secret Chocolatier.

Nido would often purchase chocolates for various events and realized the Nada’s and Chocolatier could form a partnership.

The two groups cohosted “Chocolate and Wine – That’s Amore: Sip Taste & Make with an Italian Twist” on Dec. 1, as way to kick start the holiday season.

The event featured a presentation from Nada’s about their services, which include all-inclusive 11-day cultural tours around areas of Italy, as well as a bark-making class. Participants sampled wine and chocolate treats, while socializing.

“We are excited to team up with Nada’s Italy Tours to kick off the holiday season and to give attendees a wonderful chocolate experience with a fun twist of enjoying Italian wines,” said Robin Ciordia, co-owner of The Secret Chocolatier. “This is a great opportunity to learn about and make chocolate, while exploring and delighting your culinary senses.”

The event also kicked off The Secret Chocolatier’s Sizzling Sicily Tour with Nada’s Italy, which is slated for June 16 to 26, 2017.

While visiting Sicily, travelers will be able to walk through the charminghill-top town of Modica, known for a traditional way of making chocolate and visit a historical chocolate factory.

“I know the dedicated, chocolate-loving customers of The Secret Chocolatier will truly enjoy this part of the tour,” Nido said.

She hopes the tour will provide an authentic experience and will give attendees a new perspective.

]]>http://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2016/12/chocolatiers-take-a-trip-to-italy/feed/021577Private schools compete in cooking competitionhttp://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2016/11/private-schools-compete-in-cooking-competition/
http://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2016/11/private-schools-compete-in-cooking-competition/#respondFri, 18 Nov 2016 16:56:45 +0000http://thecharlotteweekly.com/?p=21505Imagine you’re cooking vegetable fried rice and the only utensils you can use are chopsticks.

That’s the circumstances Charlotte Latin School’s cooking team had to bear during the inaugural CTK Competition on Nov. 10.

Courtney Schultz/SCW photo

Teams of middle schoolers from four Charlotte private schools – Latin, Providence Day School, Charlotte Christian School and Trinity Episcopal School – competed in three “Cutthroat Kitchen”-styled rounds to see who could serve the best dishes to win money for their school’s selected charity.

Students spent the last month training with their school’s Flik Independent School Dining executive chef to learn various cooking and cutting techniques, as well as menu preparation and production.

“The idea was to get a teacher to be their coach and the chef and learn. It’s a camaraderie and some competition; it’s a lot about techniques and how this work. It’s just one more way for these kids to learn,” Charlotte Latin’s Associate Headmaster Fletcher Gregory said.

Celebrity Chef Jet Tila served as the event’s emcee and revealed the sabotages, which include things that affected their cooking, their food and caused time constraints. Teams earned the ability to sabotage other teams through answering trivia questions.

“It’s a great learning experience for the kids,” Flik President Ray Mulligan said. “They get to do some critical thinking about cooking, they get to learn something new and they get to have fun.”

Flik Independent School Dining – that serves all four schools – was inspired to create this competition to provide students hands-on culinary education.

Flik’s parent company Compass Group contracts celebrity chefs and allows Flik to use their notoriety and skills how they see fit, according to Mulligan.

“What has happened with Jet (Tila) is that he loves dealing with kids. He’s just a natural,” he said.

Tila has conducted demonstrations at various schools, including Charlotte Christian, in which he shares healthy eating and cooking tips. Mulligan believes Tila’s spirit and personality is what makes the event fun and entertaining.

“These are skill-builders for the rest of their lives,” Tila said.

Tila and Flik also see the competition as a way to give back to the community.

Providence Day’s Team. Courtney Schultz/SCW photo

“At the end of the day, it’s really about kids learning how to cook; their connection to food; and bringing their food together with their family,” Tila said. “If though it’s not (part) of a competition show, we’ve also snuck in health, wellness and cooking. That’s what it’s about. All their family members (were there). It’s all about bringing everybody to the table as much as possible in this day in age.”

Many of the school communities attended the event, interacted with Tila and encouraged participants as if they were at a sporting event.

“Part of our mission is to continue to educate the whole child and give them skills for a lifetime, so we feel this is great way to introduce middle school students to healthy eating, different ways to make a variety of foods,” said Charlotte Christian Head of School Barry Giller.

Giller felt the competition was a great opportunity for students to learn from professionals at a “very high level.” He hopes students learn that cooking can be fun and it’s an important life skill.

“We’ve enjoyed the healthy competition between the other schools. We play them all in athletics, but this is a different venue to get together and have some fun together,” Giller said.

Charlotte Latin’s team, which consisted of Chef Scott Reid, Jack Dannemann, Jessica Clover, Caroline VanNort, Parker Hanley and Hannah Hollingsworth, arguably dealt with the most sabotages, but ultimately won the competition, earning $1,200 for the Patriot Military Family Foundation. Donations were collected from the audience and Flik matched those donations.

Providence Day was the runner-up and competed for the Humane Society of Charlotte.

“I love to cook and this was a great opportunity for to try and experience more,” said Providence Day sixth-grader Sydney McCorkle.

She said the best part of the program was learning different cutting styles and how to cook different dishes.

Charlotte Latin’s Team.Courtney Schultz/SCW photo

Trinity eighth-grader Cameron Cash is a big fan of Cutthroat Kitchen and couldn’t pass up an opportunity to meet Tila.

“I learned you have to present it the way you want it presented to you,” he said.

Mulligan said the cooking competition is just the beginning for student-involved programming and that Flik has already started brainstorming more future options.

]]>http://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2016/11/private-schools-compete-in-cooking-competition/feed/021505Celebrity chef encourages Charlotte Christian to eat healthyhttp://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2016/10/celebrity-chef-encourages-charlotte-christian-to-eat-healthy/
http://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2016/10/celebrity-chef-encourages-charlotte-christian-to-eat-healthy/#respondFri, 07 Oct 2016 15:45:00 +0000http://thecharlotteweekly.com/?p=21213Celebrity chef Jet Tila, who has served as a judge on “Cutthroat Kitchen” and “Chopped,” cooked up a batch of healthy recipes for Charlotte Christian School students last week that proved eating well doesn’t mean eating tasteless, unappetizing foods.

Tila gave a step-by-step presentation for middle and high school students about how to make Pad Thai in a healthy and tasty way, encouraging the school’s healthy eating program.

Celebrity Chef Jet Tila gave Charlotte Christian students a step-by-step presentation of how to make a tasty, but healthy meal. Courtney Schultz/SCW photo

Charlotte Christian started its initiative in 2012, hiring Flik, a division of the Compass Group, as its dining service.

“We started the initiative several years ago after realizing part of our mission is to educate the whole child and we feel like an important piece of that is teaching then how to take care of the gift God gave them of their body and their health,” said Head of School Barry Giller.

The dining service provides students with nutritious and tasty options for lunch that’s incorporated in the school’s tuition. The school provides lunch and students can have as much as they want each day. Children can enjoy two homemade soups, fresh fruit, a salad bar, a sandwich bar, Panini sandwiches, hot entrees and vegetables and rice bowls, among other items.

“We also recognize that a lot of our kids are here for a long time after school, whether it’s for the fine arts or athletics, so we just want to make sure we’re giving them the fuel they need to perform at a higher level,” Giller said. “Unfortunately, the default is to eat unhealthy food, especially in the fast food culture we live in. We wanted to teach them about taking care of their bodies, utilizing healthy foods and making good choices when it comes to meals.”

Tila has had a partnership with Flik and Compass Group for more than a decade.

Flik selects “important schools” for chefs to visit and talk about healthy eating. There are about 200 schools across the nation that is part of Flik’s network.

“No other time are kids so deeply into cooking and that’s exciting because there are worse things that they could be into and there are a lot worse places that you could be on TV,” Tila said. “…Imagine when these kids are college-age – you’re going to have a generation of kids that are cooks.”

Though cooking hasn’t always been popular in youth culture, Tila said he’s seeing a change in the trend; many Charlotte Christian students have an interest in cooking and want to take their skills to the next level.

“For me, it was really exciting because I’m really into cooking at lot,” said eighth-grader Jacob Zeigler, 13. “Watching him how he thinks while he cooks, why he cooks, all the flavors that he puts into in, the work he puts into it and how he memorizes it all.”

Jacob enjoys making breakfast for his family on weekends and, after attending cooking course, he’s made homemade chicken alfredo and chicken pot pie. Next, he wants to learn how to grill steak.

Sixth-grader Lillian Longhi, 11, said she most enjoyed learning all the steps to make Pad Thai and hopes to use Tila’s tips to make the dish.

Both middle schoolers said they want to participate in Flik’s upcoming cooking competition, “CTK,” designed to mirror Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen.”

The competition is slated for Nov. 10 and will include teams of middle school students from Charlotte Christian, as well as other schools, competing against one another. Each team will compete in three 20-minute rounds and must present three plates per round. Chef Tila will host the event.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about teaching them how to eat well and you have to start when they’re at (middle school age) and earlier. You have to program eating habits now,” Tila said.

Like many children, Tila didn’t eat healthily as a child, but now encourages his household of his wife and two children to eat well.

His rule is to select food items that have five ingredients or less and to look at your plate like a pie chart, in which the majority of the plate is vegetables, fruits and lean protein.

“A. Start early; B. Pick a good school like this school that has a phenomenal (dining program) and C. Read labels,” he said.

The Gold Feathers meal is an effort to raise funds for the competition and travel expenses for the National Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Leadership Conference in July in San Diego, California.

Competing at the FCCLA conference and representing North Carolina will be state competition winners A’Kecia Robinson and Jelani Holloway and FCCLA state officer Alicia Mitchell.

Also the first place winners of the Time Warner/Cable Green Teacher Network “Stem2Fork” competition Ryan Springer, Blair Riggsbee, Barbara Castro and Jackie Ricoy will be honored. Springer, Riggsbee and Castro also were part of the culinary arts competition team which took second place in the state competition.

Reservations can be made with the entree and dessert selection through emailing Dale.richardson@cms.k12.nc.us or calling Dale Richardson at 980-343-6430 from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays. Seating is limited and reservations and prepayment are required.

]]>http://thecharlotteweekly.com/education/2016/05/east-meck-to-host-gold-feathers-dining-experience/feed/019898High-end catering company sets sights on Charlottehttp://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2015/11/high-end-catering-company-sets-sights-on-charlotte/
http://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2015/11/high-end-catering-company-sets-sights-on-charlotte/#respondFri, 06 Nov 2015 21:46:20 +0000http://thecharlotteweekly.com/?p=18424It started in Great Britain and moved to Canada; now it’s looking to move to Charlotte.

Anne Dickson and her husband, Alan, started PigOut Catering in Britain 15 years ago. The company eventually relocated to Canada, where it has been for the past eight years, with seven business outlets in Ontario.

But recent harsh Canadian winters were tough on the business, leading the Dicksons to set their sights on Southern skies.

“In Canada, we’ve had some severe winters. It’s been very difficult the last couple of years,” Anne Dickson said.

The company, which specializes in providing high-quality roasts, barbecue meats and fish from the grill, discovered a demand in the Charlotte area for both barbecue and high-end catering.

“We (discovered) the Carolinas are our best demographic for expanding into the U.S.,” Dickson said. “From the southern parts of North Carolina down to South Carolina, people can do the trade all year round because of the (milder) temperatures.”

PigOut Catering employs professional chefs, with at least some degree of experience, who want to operate their own business without the hassle of maintaining a storefront. The company provides a vehicle with refrigeration to store and transport the food to catering sites. All grilling is performed on site.

The company turns to local farmers and food vendors for salads and sides, and partners with local bakers for desserts.

“People are getting a high-end experience,” Dickson said. “We’re serving more casual food, but we do it with class.”

PigOut Catering is currently seeking chefs interested in operating their own catering franchise, hoping to be headquartered in Charlotte by March 2016. Its Ontario franchises will continue to operate.

PigOut Catering provides all equipment, along with marketing tips and training needed to run a successful business. She added it’s ideal for couples and families who want to franchise without a lot of red tape, set hours and overhead costs.

“It’s a very good business to work into a family – a husband can work full time and a wife part time,” Dickson said. “They can build it up and leave it to one of their kids.”

]]>http://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2015/11/high-end-catering-company-sets-sights-on-charlotte/feed/018424Checkers & Rallys eyeing south Charlotte markethttp://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2015/09/checkers-rallys-eyeing-south-charlotte-market/
http://thecharlotteweekly.com/news/2015/09/checkers-rallys-eyeing-south-charlotte-market/#respondFri, 18 Sep 2015 15:26:12 +0000http://thecharlotteweekly.com/?p=18073Cook Out and other fast-casual restaurants in the Charlotte area could soon have a new competitor: Checkers & Rallys.

The Tampa, Florida-based restaurant has had its eye on the Charlotte market for a while now, and company leaders are working extensively to identify potential franchisees in the area.

The nearest Checkers & Rallys is in Hickory, but the company has already identified 100 leads for potential franchisees in the greater Charlotte region, said Jennifer Durham, vice president of franchise development for Checkers & Rallys.

“We’re looking to bring in one to two new franchisees by the end of (2015),” she said. “… Our goal is to have one to two restaurants open in Charlotte (in 2016).”

John Palumbo, Charlotte-based franchise development director for Checkers & Rallys, relocated to Waxhaw from New York City about two years ago and is focusing on bringing the restaurant to the south Charlotte and Union County areas.

Checkers & Rallys is known for its burgers, fries and Colas, but also offers other food items with a “bold” flavor, Durham said, such as chicken wings with five different flavors. The restaurant also has a “Cold Creations” menu, including ice cream sundae snackers.

About 85 percent of Checkers & Rallys are drive-thru only, with a number of restaurants providing a double drive-thru for faster service.

“We find most of our consumers are eating at their dashboard or their keyboard, so we provide that very fast experience that delivers the way they live their lives,” Durham said.

Another focus of Checkers & Rallys is on franchising. The company operates 335 of its 809 restaurants, while the remaining 454 locations belong to the franchise community. This approach allows the company to be directly involved with the operation of some of its restaurants, while also giving franchisees the freedom to run their own restaurant.

“We’ve been successful in our franchise model, and we’re very confident in our corporate culture,” Palumbo said. “(Those two approaches) can be an asset to (potential franchisees) who don’t have quite as much experience as others.”

Palumbo said the Charlotte market will be 100-percent franchise owned. Find more information about becoming a franchisee at www.checkersfranchising.com.

This is new and exciting. This is a culinary coup. Charlotte is experiencing a restaurant revolution that shows no signs of letting up. Case in point is one of the newest additions, with flavor combinations that explode on your palate with sheer delight. The location makes it all the more intriguing; nestled into the Post South End apartment complex is Futo Buta.

The eatery is situated along the LYNX Light Rail Line at the Bland Street Station, in a back corner of the building. A small boutique of an establishment with just a touch of décor and North Carolina oak walls, the true aesthetics is on your plate or in your bowl. You’ll find several tables on the large patio out front and a petite cherry wood bar and community table greet you upon entering.

Futo Buta, which is loosely translated as “fat pig,” is a ramen house. Ramen is Japanese noodle soup. Michael Shortino, chef and owner, has taken ramen to new and untraditional heights. Izakaya, steamed buns, gyoza, sushi and amami are “souped” up as well, combining old-world Japanese delicacies with innovative twists.

If some of this culinary terminology is new to you, you’re not alone. Consider your curiosity as one of the most delectable learning experiences you’ll savor. I’ve included a few definitions to help enlighten.

Izakaya, or Japanese small plates, begin the journey. The White Kimchi Mason Jar is created with apple, pear and cilantro. The Kurobuta Pork and Golden Scallop Gyoza are dumplings made with ginger, sesame oil, Thai chili and scallion, and are divine. Rice Crispy Squares (no, not the cereal) are made with spicy tuna, jalapeno and wasabi ponzu. Hamachi Crudo (think yellowtail sushi) is accented with avocado, grapefruit, chili yuzu and garlic chips. Each one is distinctively delicious, like the House Smoked Salmon Belly Nigiri with maple syrup, yuzu tobiko and shiso mayo.

Also delicious is the Charred White Asparagus with spicy yuzu, shiso butter, fried quail egg and garlic chips. For the love of fried chicken, try the Tori Karaage, or Japanese fried chicken, which contains soy, ginger and spicy Buta mayonnaise.

Steamed Buns are culinary works of art. You also need to taste the Lowcountry Pork Belly bun with sesame slaw and pickled mustard seed. Duck Confit buns include crispy ginger, scallion and Carolina peach preserve. The Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini bun is accompanied by pickled ramps (wild leek), black garlic oil and shiso.

Tsukemen, available in a limited number of orders per day, is a rich double-chicken broth, house blend katsuobushi powder, chilled noodles, poached chicken breast and scallions.

Photo courtesy of Remy Thurston

For dessert, you’ll need to taste the Amami, which is a daily selection of house-made, soft-serve ice cream using the freshest seasonal ingredients. Each flavor, including the strawberry, is outstanding; other flavors include Yuzu and Baby Ginger, double chocolate with salted pistachio, sweet potato and caramel. For an alternative, check out the Mango Cake, which comes with roasted pineapple and feral berry sorbet.

Delightfully intricate combinations of flavors and textures abound at Futo Buta. Michael Shortino has created a home run with a unique and scrumptious menu in a pleasing atmosphere with reasonable prices, ranging from $5 to $12. To put it simply, I look forward to more than my share of steamed buns and Japanese fried chicken.

John’s Country Kitchen closed on Saturday, May 30. Johnny and Maria Margiotis opened the establishment on Central Avenue 38 years ago; the business was most recently operated by the founders’ son, Jimmy, who said the establishment wasn’t financially sound enough to pay for rent.

The restaurateur now will focus on The Rusty Onion, his restaurant located in the Carmel Commons Shopping Center. Rusty Onion features handcrafted pizza and live music.

Fran’s Filling Station expands

Fran’s Filling Station, located at 2410 Park Road, will expand with a private dining room. The new 16-foot-by-19-foot space will feature audio and video capabilities for private parties with 30 to 50 guests. The new room will be connected to Fran’s Tap Room, which can accommodate an additional 25 guests.

Fran’s Filling Station is located in the Park Square Shopping Center. Visit www.fransfillingstation.com for more information.

Tapas 51 slated to open in coming weeks

Tapas 51, a new restaurant coming to south Charlotte, is slated to open within the coming weeks according to owner and chef Aaron Rivera.

Tapas 51 will feature tapas portions cooked to order, offering items such as ceviche, empanadas, local beer and more, drawing on flavors and inspiration from Latin America.

The restaurant will be located in the spot formerly occupied by Passion 8 at 3415 Hwy. North in Fort Mill, South Carolina and will occupy around 80 guests. The restaurant also will feature an outdoor patio and private dining room.

JJ’s Red Hots earns national recognition

South Charlotte-based JJ’s Red Hots has been named one of Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers for the second year in a row. JJ’s Red Hots, which has locations in Dilworth and Ballantyne, was the only Charlotte-based restaurant to appear on the annual list. The restaurant landed at No. 36 – seven spots up from last year’s ranking.

Fast Casual is a Networld Media Group publication and reports on trends and news in the fast-casual restaurant industry.

“The idea behind our Movers & Shakers list is to recognize brands that are going beyond simply generating positive sales and unit growth,” said Cherryh Butler, managing editor of FastCasual.com, in a news release. “The process has a bit more subjectivity to it — to identify brands that are taking big risks and making fundamental changes that could dramatically shake up the fast casual status quo.”

Amélie’s now open in
Carmel Commons

After much anticipation, Amelie’s bakery latest location in Carmel Commons is now opened. The newest store will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. or later Thursday through Saturday.

The 5,000-square-foot café and bakery is located at the intersection of Carmel and Pineville-Matthews roads.

Flipside Café, The Summit Room, win Competition Dining Series

The Flipside Café and The Summit Room both won their respective brackets in the annual GotToBeNC Competition Dining Series, which took place March through May.

Chef Joseph Cornett of The Flipside Care and Chef Brent Martin of The Summit Room were crowned champions.

Each chef won $2,000, a red winners’ chef jacket and a chef’s knife made by Ironman Knives, based in Charlotte.

Contact culinary@thecharlotteweekly.com with questions, comments or culinary news in south Charlotte.